Michigan Works! planning Opportunity Fair for March

ARENAC COUNTY — Michigan Works! Region 7B is in the planning stages for an opportunity fair that will benefit Michigan companies and potential job seekers in Arenac, Roscommon and Clare counties.

The “Michigan Works! Opportunity Fair: Taking Charge of Your Future” will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Standish on March 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The opportunity fair will bring together local employers, training facilities, and community service agencies to discuss the kinds of skills and training necessary to succeed in the future job market, said Kelli Nicholas, marketing coordinator for Michigan Works! Region 7B.

Nicholas said that Michigan Works! has put together many job fairs over the years, but the opportunity fair will be different from those events of the past. She said it is focused on discussing the future job outlook in the Great Lakes region and preparing job seekers for the direction their careers will take.

Some companies might have job openings, but the opportunity fair is not meant to be a job fair, she said.

According to a press release from Michigan Works! Region 7B, they are planning to have workshops during the fair that will address such topics as financial management, alternative energy, and entrepreneurship. There will also be staff available to critique resumes, Nicholas said.

“This gives people an opportunity to determine what training they need to seek to be marketable for future jobs,” Mark L. Berdan, Michigan Works! Executive Director, said in the press release. “We will show you how to retool and reinvent yourself during these tough economic times.”

Nicholas said they are just beginning the process of contacting companies and speakers for the opportunity fair, and more information will be available in the next month.